1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bed and, more particularly, to an inflatable air bed having separate, inflatable support and mattress chambers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional inflatable air mattresses are available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations. Air mattresses are used in the health care industry, for example, as a patient mover or stretcher, or as a therapeutic mattress. More commonly, inflatable air mattresses are used in residential and recreational applications as a convenient spare bed in the home, or at the beach or camp site. Frequently, inflatable air mattresses include temperature and/or pressure regulation systems, or other devices to provide the user with comfort and convenience.
For example, a basic single-layered air mattress is disclosed by Reid in U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,999; a single-layer air support bed having a tubular frame is disclosed by Owen et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,743; and a mattress assembly, wherein an inflatable lower portion is position beneath a pile overlay is disclosed by Eady, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,335. An air mattress with a pressure relief valve is disclosed by Walker, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,597.
Although providing a wide variety of air mattresses for many different applications, having a wide variety of features, none of the foregoing single-layer air mattress assemblies provides both comfort and support. Moreover, none of the foregoing, or similar devices, provide comfort and support in a simple device which can be easily inflated and deflated, and stored in a relatively small space. In addition, none of the foregoing, or similar devices, provide a multi-layer device, wherein each layer is independently adjustable.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved inflatable air bed, providing users with additional comfort and support.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layer inflatable air bed, in which each layer can be independently adjusted.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inflatable air bed that is easily and quickly inflated and deflated, and able to be stored conveniently.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide retailers with multi-layer inflatable air beds which require reduced shelf space.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable air bed that is aesthetically pleasing, secure, and comfortable to use.